CDXC: The UK DX Foundation

CDXC is the UK's premier DX Foundation, with approximately 890 members, dedicated to encouraging excellence in DX’ing and contest operating.

CDXC began in the 1980s, and was formed by a small group of keen UK DXers based in the Chilterns. Since then CDXC has grown substantially with our members sharing a common interest in HF DX and contesting, drawn together by their shared values of high standards of operating and DX’ing skills. CDXC has become one of the largest and most respected DX groups in the world.

Members include the majority of the UK's top DXers and contesters, plus an increasingly large international membership. Characterised by a supportive and encouraging approach to all members, CDXC is an influential organisation which develops and enriches the world of HF amateur radio for its members and DXers worldwide.

CDXC was featured in Practical Wireless in March 2009, in the 'In Focus' column. You can download a free PDF of this feature here click to download.

The CDXC Magazine

The CDXC Digest is an outstanding bi-monthly publication, packed with news and articles on subjects that will be sure to interest DXers.

The Digest is one of the greatest benefits of being a CDXC member. Whilst there is a traditional paper-based publication for those who prefer it, the CDXC Digest also offers an electronic version to keep up with modern trends and as a member you can look forward to six editions a year. The Digest archive on the CDXC web site includes an excellent Digest search facility.

The CDXC Digest is an A5 magazine of around 60 pages, focused on the core topic of DX, with many interesting reports from recent members' DXpeditions, a healthy supply of light-hearted articles, expedition and contesting news. With many pages packed with the latest news of recent and forthcoming activations, rumours and technological developments, colour photo pages and first hand reviews of equipment, the Digest is sure to be read from cover to cover.

Focused on HF DX and Contesting

If your main interest in radio is HF, and you are interested in working DX - rare or distant countries - and competitive radio sport, then you will find yourself amongst like-minded radio amateurs in CDXC.

CDXC members have many interests, but all share an interest in DXing, one of the largest world-wide movements in amateur radio. CDXC members are often extremely active in contests and can be heard working or running pile-ups on the bands. Indeed, many members have been on a significant number of DXpeditions to far-flung DX entities, and very many have "worked" 300 or more DXCC entities.

CDXC also has strong ties with the Five Star DX Association (FSDXA), one of the world’s foremost DXpedition groups. FSDXA has made extraordinary achievements in recent years, for example on the record-breaking T32C, D68C and 3B7C DXpeditions, and experiences by CDXC members on these trips have led to the publication of “DXPeditioning Behind The Scenes”, widely considered to be the definitive reference work on executing complex DXpeditions.

CDXC members are from a wide range of backgrounds and ages, so experience levels vary. CDXC fosters a supportive and helpful environment to encourage anyone, at any level, to enjoy the thrill of DXing and the achievement of contesting. CDXC gives you the perfect way to become more involved in DXing.

Social Events

CDXC provides an excellent social programme. Members from all generations enjoy meeting to catch up and compare notes at our summer social, and at well-attended dinners with topical presentations.

Each year, CDXC organises a dinner at a central location in the UK, to which all members are invited. A significant proportion of members are able to come and enjoy socialising over a first class dinner, with presentations by prominent DXers being a highlight. Partners are most welcome. Afterwards, a lively bar is guaranteed. The CDXC Dinner is always held at a hotel, ensuring on-site accommodation is available for those travelling from further afield.

In the summer we meet for our AGM and to have a barbeque, which is an excellent opportunity to meet up in friendly surroundings, chat and catch up on the latest news from friends, old and new. The raffle held at the summer social regularly has, on occasions, a brand new HF transceiver as its top prize.

CDXC members also take pride in providing hospitality for visitors to the UK, such as international DXers and members living abroad.

Online Community

As well as meeting face-to-face, CDXC members participate in a friendly and vibrant online community, where the latest DX news and operating are discussed amongst leading DXers. As a CDXC member, you will find that an unparalleled breadth of experience is close at hand.

Interested in where to find that elusive DX contact on the bands? Looking for help with a new LF antenna or first hand experience with a radio or linear? Ask the CDXC Reflector and answers are sure to follow.

In addition to the Reflector all members receive a password to access members-only content on the CDXC web site, and are able to post notices, wanted ads and web links, as well as use the CDXC members’ DX cluster.

DXpedition Support

Every year, many DXpeditions add significant enjoyment to the HF hobby. CDXC members support DXpeditions financially through their membership.

CDXC offers its help to DXpeditions to distant or rare DXCC entities by making donations. Support is given particularly to those making the considerable effort needed to mount large-scale activations - for example, making over 10,000 QSOs and spending time working amateurs with modest equipment.

On average CDXC supports between 15 and 20 DXpeditions per year. By being a member of CDXC, you can directly encourage DXing in this way. So, when you receive a QSL card bearing the CDXC logo, as most of the high-profile DXpeditions do, remember that your QSO was partly thanks to being a member of one of the biggest HF DX groups in the world!

As well as apportioning funds to such deserving teams from around the world, CDXC has an equipment pool which members may borrow for their own DXpedition use, fostering greater participation.

Awards and Recognition

DXing and contesting thrive on friendly competition and rivalry, and many members achieve world-class scores in major international contests, such as CQWW or the IOTA contest. CDXC makes awards to members for exceptional contest scores, and also recognises the input of resident amateurs in rare DXCC locations with a "local hero" award. From time to time, CDXC also bestows a prestigious Award of Merit, one of the highest accolades in HF radio, to organisations or individuals who have made outstanding and unselfish contributions to HF amateur radio and DXing.

In this way, CDXC membership encourages recognition and celebrates achievement at the highest standards. CDXC also supports amateur radio through the actions on the air of all its members, many of whom are leaders in their specialist fields - and all of whom share the highest standards of operating.

How to join CDXC

Membership is open to anyone in the world, including shortwave listeners. As a guideline, we expect members to have worked or heard 100 DXCC entities before applying to join (evidence is not required). Your membership will also need to be supported by two existing members.

If you do not know an existing member, or do not yet meet our guideline for DXCCs, please do not be discouraged! Send your application anyway, with a covering letter, and we will give it serious consideration.